THE LIFE AND DEATH OF MICHAEL JACKSON, KING OF POP (A Synopsis)

Michael Jackson was born in 1958 in Gary, Indiana. At the age of five he joined his brothers' singing group, then known as the Jackson 5 and later renamed the Jacksons. Michael's breath-taking dancing ability as well as his singing skills made him the group's leader. Under the sponsorship of Berry Gordy, their music productions manager the group became very popular, recording albums and making several TV appearances.

Jackson released his first solo album Got to be there in 1971 and his popularity spread farther still. He also released Off the Wall in 1979, Thriller in 1982. Thriller gathered Michael Jackson eight Grammy awards, selling more than 45 million copies. Jackson was a very selfless person; the song We are the World had all its proceeds channeled toward eradicating world hunger especially in  Africa. The song co-starred prominent musicians such as Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder and more than 40 other popular musicians. Jackson released Bad in 1987, and the title single, as well as the video of the song, became bestsellers, as did his album Dangerous (1991) and the single “Remember the Time” (1991). In 1995 the double album HIStory was released. In 1996 Jackson won a Grammy Award for the music video “Scream”.

But legal suits were to be one of the greatest challenges the Pop star was ever going to face. In 1993, a suit was filed against Jackson for molesting a 13 year old boy. Though Jackson did not admit to any wrongdoing, he paid many millions of dollars to the family of the boy.

Exactly 10 years later, Jackson was arrested on many count charge of child molestation. The child involved was about the age of 14. Jackson’s counsel vehemently denied the charges describing them as ‘totally unfounded’.

Meanwhile, Michael Jackson was becoming the butt of disdain all over the world based on worldwide conviction that he had undergone several cosmetic surgeries to become ‘white’, but Jackson’s poignant response showed that the world was likely to be in the wrong about their convictions. Referring to his skin pigmentation disorder, vitiligo, Michael Jackson said,

“ It is in my family on my father's side. I use make-up to even out the blotches. When people make up stories that I don't want to be who I am it hurts me...what about all the millions of people who sit out in the sun to become darker, to become other than what they are? No one says anything about that.”

Dermatologist Dr Arnold Klein said Jackson suffered from a disease that causes blotches of lightening skin, as well as a form of lupus that led to rashes and flaking of skin on his scalp.

The sequence of events that has led to his death are not clear. Skin cancer was at first suspected, but the autopsy report said he had suffered a cardiac arrest and since vials of propofol, an anaesthetic used for out-patient surgeries, were found in his possession, an overdose seems much more likely.

Though Michael Jackson is dead and has been laid to rest in his hometown in  Indiana, the King of Pop will surely live forever in the minds of everyone who ever grabbed their crotch and make some flickering, gliding dance movement. He will be remembered very affectionately by everyone!